by Tarisa Marie
“I don’t see myself as strong willed,” I admit and shrug.
Henry chuckles loudly. “Maybe not in some respects, but I am willing to bet that you believe your mind and your actions are yours and yours only. If someone were to try and change your thoughts and poke around in your mind, you’d push them out, maybe not consciously but subconsciously, even if it were easier to just give in.”
I can’t argue with him there. The thought of someone messing with my mind makes me plain angry.
Chapter 16
Getting back to Canada is a relief, getting back to our home, an even bigger relief. When we’re greeted by Daniel and Kai, in the front yard, I burst out crying again.
“May, we have something to show you or rather someone to show you,” Daniel tells me as I wrap him in a tight hug.
“Who’s here?” Kade asks, disgruntled. He scans the house intently.
“May, don’t freak out, but he kind of just showed up here a couple hours ago,” Daniel pleads before muttering, “Come out now.”
The front door opens behind Daniel and a man in his forties comes out wearing jeans and a t-shirt. I recognize him immediately and nearly faint in Daniels arms. “Dad?!” I ask in complete disbelief. I must be dreaming.
My dad smiles warmly. “May? My god you’ve changed, darling.”
“The contract between him and the demons was burnt when they thought you died and he was released. You are no longer under their protection and we’ve convinced dad not to make another deal. We have to stop this cycle. We’re all going to protect you. We left the Bryxx. We’re going to make a permanent home here and dad knows how to ward against demons so they won’t be able to enter the area.”
“But Kade-” I argue.
Dad cuts me off. “Will be trapped inside the wards, not outside, as will I.”
That’s when it dawns on me. My dad’s human body died. We buried it years ago. How did the demons settle their break of the deal?
“He’s a demon,” Daniel answers my unspoken question.
“I won’t hurt you,” my dad promises and I believe him after all he’s done for my life.
I glance at Kade who doesn’t look too sure of this. “What kind of demon?” he asks my father.
My dad glances to me and Daniel who are still embracing. “A Scaraut, so I will be no harm to any of you.”
Daniel hastily translates for me. “A very weak type of demon, about as weak as a human, no powers except immortality, usually used as slaves in the demon world. They live off of suffering but don’t need much, watching the news or Kade’s thirst will be more than enough.”
I’m not sure what to think of all this.
“We have everything packed up and ready to go,” Kai tells me. “We have to get out of here and go somewhere new. The demons found you here, they could come back here.”
I nod, not wanting to risk it. If I can help it, I will never be taken again. I’m hell bent in ensuring as much no matter what it takes. I think about Cerisse and her family, their fates. I think about the way I was treated at Madeya’s. I think about Madeya, her stringy, messy hair and her scarred face, her shrill voice. I recall the intense darkness of her home. I recall the sickening feeling in my gut the entire time I was there. Lastly, I recall my fear. I won’t ever go back there. I will fight even if I am weak and brittle.
My life is my own. The whole ordeal feels like a dream, a nightmare, but deep down I know just how real it was and just how close I was to meeting my demise. I will learn how to fight back. That is a promise.
Epilogue
Devon watched the human girl from a distance as she fed her three chickens and talked to them as if they were intelligent beings. He wasn’t sure what it was about her that drew him in. Could it be her blood? He didn’t think so, he was sure it was something more. Her innocence?
He watched her for hours and it wasn’t the first time he’d done so since he’d left Madeya’s home. Most of Madeya’s people thought he was enslaved to her like they were, but the truth was that he was her grandson and he was free to leave whenever he chose to and do as he pleased. His mother was no more enslaved that he, but like him, she had nowhere to go, the Bryxx would find and kill her if she left Madeya’s, kill them both. They’d both chosen to live with Madeya over the last two millennia. Devon had never had an interest in leaving permanently, especially in going above ground to the human’s domain where the light was bright and he had to hide what he was, but after his grandmother had asked him to fetch the human girl, he’d found himself more interested in her than he’d ever been interested in anything before.
He’d masqueraded as one of the guards and escorted her and her buyer out to the human domain. He lost track of her at the airport once plane took off but was able to call in a favor with someone who worked at the airport for Madeya. The man had tracked the plane to Saskatchewan, Canada for him, and that’s when Devon knew exactly where they were headed. Madeya had made her money by selling the human back to her protector. Not that she’d care much; she’d gotten what she’d wanted. The only thing that would stop her from trying take her back and sell her again would be the contract she signs with all clients stating that she will not attempt to steal sold items back for resale. The girl was an easy grab and an easy sale.
Devon continued to watch her as her vampire master lifted her up and kissed her on the lips. From their conversation, Devon knew that they were lovers. The vampire he assumed had marked her as his or would soon enough. He’d never seen a vampire in love with a human. He’d never seen a vampire able to stand near a human with blood like hers without attempting to kill her on the spot. At the auction they’d needed to ramp of security tenfold to keep the vampires away from her.
The vampire kissed her again and Devon felt like killing him. What was it about the vampire than made him so damn angry?
Devon watched intently as the two walked back to their new home and closed the door behind them. Then, without even thinking it through, Devon made a rash decision. He walked towards their home, through the demon wards that were useless against him, and changed his appearance into that of her brother’s lover, whom he found near the barn, raking a hay bed for the cows. He grabbed him and turned him to face him.
Devon pressed two fingers to Kai’s forehead before he could make a sound of protest. Kai then collapsed. Devon threw his arms out to catch him, not wanting to alert the others that something was off by making a sound. He then pressed two fingers to his forehead again, borrowing his memories. Then he took the limp man to the slough just off the property and dropped him down into it.
Devon trotted back to the hay where he finished Kai’s job of raking the as quickly as possible. God, other immortals were deaf. He’d been alive long enough to master silence in his every move. Hell, he’d been alive long enough to trick even Madeya into thinking he was someone else. He was strong, one of the strongest immortals in existence.
He approached the house, imitating the goofy smile that Kai always had on his handsome face, and threw the door open. He used Kai’s memories to pluck out the layout of the house. “What’s for supper?” he asked and entered the kitchen where Daniel slaved over the hot stove. As a demon, Devon wasn’t used to eating but since he was for all intents and purposes Bryxx for the time being, he’d need to get used to it.
“Roast beef and mashed potatoes,” Daniel replied before turning, grinning and pecking a kiss on who he thought was his boyfriend. If only he knew.
Devon didn’t mind the affection as a he’d never been objected towards homosexuality. In fact he didn’t prefer one sex over the other at all.
Then May came into the room and he tried not to stare too much, he didn’t want to cause suspicion.
“Hey, Kai, get the bedding situation figured?” she asked.
Devon grinned inside, but on the outside, he put on a face of annoyance. “Why do we have to have those stupid cows anyway? All they do is sleep, eat, and shit.” A classic Kai response.
May
rolled her eyes and began setting the table. “I hope you’re hungry because I sure peeled a lot of potatoes.”
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Did you love Bryxx? Then you should read Onyx by Tarisa Marie!
From the best-selling author of "Bryxx", comes the second installment in the riveting "Crimson Forest" series.When Kade finally gives in and falls victim to the thing he's fought against the hardest, he's about to give up after losing the thing dearest to him - May.After being murdered then brought back to life by a stranger, she believes she's lost Kade forever, especially when he ends up trying to kill her all over again. He wants her dead because the consequences of her coming back to life are too great for him to handle and he blames himself.May gains new allies and new foes in this thrilling first sequel to "Bryxx".
Also by Tarisa Marie
Black Petals
Halfling
Changeling
Pure Blood (Coming Soon)
Crimson Forest
Bryxx
Onyx
Tempted
Torn
Lost (Coming Soon)
Rapture
Deadly
Impossible Attraction
Tainted
Tainted Crimson
Tainted Heart
Tainted Magic
Tainted World
About the Author
Tarisa Marie loves interacting with fans on her Instagram account @TarisaMarie_Author and encourages them to send her selfies with her books. You will be her favorite person if you review one of her books, she reads every single one and appreciates them all.